the 1978 topps dodgers in 1991 - the managers outnumber the players

in 1991, as in the three previous years, there was only one member of the 1978 topps dodgers still wearing dodger blue, and it was tommy lasorda

lasorda guided the 1991 dodger team to 93 wins and a second straight second-place finish behind the atlanta braves in the national league west.  the dodgers were up by two games with 8 to play in the season, and were tied with the braves with three remaining, but they dropped the first two games of a season ending three game set with the giants while the astros were rolling over for the braves in their season ending series.  i took much pleasure in watching the braves lose the world series that year, and have not had much of an appreciation for art howe (the astros' manager) or andujar cedeno (he made 3 errors in the division clinching game against the braves) ever since.

one member of the 1978 topps dodgers was still active in 1991, and that was pitcher charlie hough

hough was no longer with the rangers, however, having signed a free agent deal with the white sox before the season started.  topps made things right in the 1991 traded set.

hough's first year with the chisox brought an end to his 9-year streak of earning double digits in wins.  he was just 9-10 for the southsiders in 29 starts.  he also made a relief appearance (two, actually) for the first time since 1981, the first of which came in an extra inning game on may 1.  he was in line to get the win after the white sox scored three times against the brewers in the top of the 15th inning, but he allowed three runs to milwaukee in the bottom of the inning, and the game went on until the brew crew finally won in the bottom of the 19th frame.

after last being seen in the 1981 topps set, johnny oates returned with a card in the 1991 topps traded set.

oates took over as manager of the orioles following the firing of frank robinson after amassing a 13-24 record in their first 37 games.  they did slightly better (54-71) under oates, but still finished 6th in the al east.  thankfully, he was retained and returned as their manager for the 1992 season.

here is the yearly tally of appearances to date:

baker 17 (1971-1987)
burke 2 (1978-1979)
cey 16 (1972-1987)
davalillo 14 (1963-1974, 1978-1979)
forster 16 (1972-1987)
garman 8 (1971-1973, 1975-1979)
garvey 17 (1971-1987)
goodson 6 (1973-1978)
grote 15 (1964-1976, 1978-1979)
hooton 15 (1972-1986)
hough 20 (1972-1991)
john 26 (1964-1989)
lacy 16 (1973-1988)
lasorda 17 (1954, 1973-1974, 1977-1981, 1983-1991)
lopes 16 (1973-1988)
martinez 9 (1971-1976, 1978-1980)
monday 18 (1967-1984)
mota 18 (1963-1980)
oates 11 (1972-1981, 1991)
rau 9 (1973-1981)
rautzhan 2 (1978-1979)
rhoden 16 (1975-1990)
russell 18 (1970-1987)
smith 17 (1967-1983)
sosa 10 (1974-1984)
sutton 23 (1966-1988)
yeager 15 (1973-1987)

teams represented so far: 23 (dodgers, indians, colt .45's, pirates, white sox, astros, mets, a's, red sox, angels, expos, cardinals, braves, cubs, orioles, giants, phillies, yankees, rangers, tigers, padres, brewers, mariners)

it's 1991 all over again

no, i'm not really talking about this 1991 topps card made by dave at goose joak a while back

although it is pretty awesome (and i know how tough the 1991 is to recreate thanks to the 1991 topps traded fernando valenzuela card that should have been that i made a while back).  no, what i mean is that it is 1991 world champions reunion weekend here in minny.  that means the streets are awash with the likes of scott erickson, gene larkin, terry leach, and the guys who are here anyway, such as tom kelly, dan gladden and jack morris.

lots of autograph opportunities today.  i might stop and try for morris (again) along with gladden and erickson after i hit the card show.

need anything?

the great dodgers-orioles trade project

it's only fitting that i start this trade post with a couple of juan bell cards.  that's because i recently completed a trade with ryan of the great orioles autograph project, and he sent me the cards, along with a bunch of other double play and dodger cards.  also, the dodgers traded juan bell to the orioles for eddie murray way back when.  on to the cards - first, a 1993 topps stadium club

and a 1994 fleer

there was anothe juan bell double play card in the trade, but that card is being saved for a future post.

on to the dodgers!  1991 topps traded darryl strawberry

such high hopes we had back in '91.  donruss had given darryl the gretzky treatment with the press conference photo on their card, so this was the first real dodger darryl i saw.

ryan also included a 1992 leaf strawberry from the heritage insert series

the back says he's wearing a 1944 brooklyn uniform and holding a jackie robinson bat.  jackie wasn't on the 1944 team, but that's ok. to me, darryl looks like another disappointing dodger in this photo - delino deshields.

1994 post mike piazza

this was a nefarious 9 card (ryan also included a 1987 topps lee lacy that was, at one time, also a n9 want).  i have since replaced this card on the list with another oddball piazza - his 1994 kraft card.

2007 bowman heritage ivan dejesus, jr

i didn't realize that he had cards from that far back.  with chin-lung hu out of the way, i would guess that dejesus makes the dodgers this year.  then ned can trade him to the cubs just like al campanis did with his old man.
2009 ud o-pee-chee joe nathan black border

i'm still working on this set (meaning i have a want list) and ryan included a few twinkies.  unfortunately, they weren't ones i needed.  still, they are good cards to put away for twinsfest or the autograph party.

2005 topps nomar garciaparra

a non-red sox nomat, with the chevron car in the background to boot!
we'll finish with another double play card - a 1994 score ryne sandberg

pure goodness.

thanks ryan!

the fernando valenzuela card that should have been!

prior to the start of the 1991 season, the dodgers released fernando valenzuela. while only 10 years removed from 'fernandomania', el toro had posted an era of well over 4 in two of the previous three seasons. in addition, the dodgers had traded for bob ojeda in the offseason, so it wasn't much of a surprise when fernando was let go.

in a move that some saw as a marketing ploy due to the large hispanic population in orange county, fernando was picked up by the not-quite crosstown rivals, the california angels. after just two starts (and an era of 12.15 in 6.2 innings), he was released. the angels did sign him again that year, and sent him to the minors where he performed a bit better.

while his 1991 topps card is one of my favorites, i was a bit disappointed that there wasn't a 1991 topps traded card featuring him in an angels uniform. so, here is the card that should have been - the 1991 topps traded fernando valenzuela.

1991 topps is a tough template to manipulate, by the way.

the tigers signed him in 1992, although he played for jalisco in the mexican league that year. fernando would return to the major leagues with the orioles in 1993, and had a couple of decent years there and in san diego before retiring following his 1997 release from the st. louis cardinals.